Tag: "TV One"

Urban Media Corporation Radio One to Use Platforms to ‘Promote Peace’ and ‘Demand Justice.’ In a statement from Radio One, Inc., the company says it is “deeply saddened and troubled by the recent events in our country. There is no doubt, this is a critical moment in our history. From Baton Rouge, LA and Minneapolis, MN to Dallas, TX, the outcry of Black people is reverberating throughout this country. Our prayers and condolences are with the bereaved families of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Dallas officers Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, Michael Smith, Brent Thompson and Patrick Zamarripa. We pray for your peace and comfort. Though the chain of events this week is unprecedented, the sound of frustration and outrage are all too familiar. Black lives matter because ALL lives matter. Martin Luther King said, ‘The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy.’ The killing must stop. It doesn’t serve anyone. Certainly there is a better solution. We are not anti-police. We are anti-police misconduct, abuse and excessive force. We must protect the civil rights and lives of Black Americans and we must protect law enforcement officers who serve our communities. Both of these goals can co-exist and equally be served. Unfortunately, when these ideals aren’t aligned nor remembered, we are forced to live with the greatest loss of all – life. Acknowledging the significance of this moment, all this week, we have leveraged our multi-media platforms of local radio, TV One, Interactive One and Reach Media to encourage our community to lift their voices and be heard; promote peace in the street; and demand justice, accountability and reform in our police and justice systems. From exclusive coverage on TV One’s ‘News One Now with Roland Martin‘ to stopping the music and opening the phone lines for listener expression on our 56 urban radio stations and syndicated shows such as the ‘Tom Joyner Morning Show,’ ‘Rickey Smiley Morning Show,’ ‘Russ Parr Morning Show’ and ‘DL Hughley Show,’ we’ve served our community. We’ve produced numerous public service announcements and created empowering and informative content that spanned our national digital platforms such as NewsOne.com and HelloBeautiful.com to the millions of people we touch through our social media network. And we won’t stop here. We will do more to educate and mobilize our community. As a communications company, we are obligated to tell the stories others won’t and to amplify the voices of our hurting community. We won’t be silent.”

Cox Media Atlanta Holds Roundtable Simulcast on News/Talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM and Urban Contemporary WALR. On Friday evening (7/8), Cox Media Group’s Atlanta news/talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM and urban contemporary WALR “Kiss 104.1” hosted a live roundtable discussion that was simulcast on both stations about the shooting of two black males by police and killing of five police officers in Dallas after a peaceful protest there. The roundtable was hosted by WSB personality Mark Arum and panelists included radio hosts: Monica Pearson, John Pearson, Condace Pressley, Jennifer Keitt, and Herman Cain.

iHeartMedia’s 24/7 News Network Partners with NBC News. There appears to be a number of angles to this newly announced deal between iHeartMedia and NBC News. The relationship will allow affiliates of iHeartMedia’s 24/7 News Network to have access to a wide variety of audio content from NBC News products. An hourly radio newscast will be available around the clock, and the iHeartRadio platform will feature an NBC News Radio channel. 24/7 News Network SVP/GM Chris Berry says, “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with NBC News in providing our affiliates and listeners with award-winning news coverage along with the global reach of this powerful news organization. Plus, the addition of NBC News Radio on iHeartRadio showcases both our companies’ commitment to providing our consumers with the most credible news wherever they are, whenever they want it.”

Dallas Cops Slain/Weekend Cop Protests, The Presidential Race, Hillary Clinton Email Case Aftermath, and Wimbledon Tourney Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The majority of discussion on news/talk radio over the weekend centered on the slaying of five police officers in Dallas and the deaths of two black men at the hands of police in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis. Other topics included the presidential race, the aftermath of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for State Department business, and the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

Max Kellerman Gives Up KSPN, Los Angeles Gig for Role ESPN2’s ‘First Take’ Gig. Rising to the permanent role of co-host of ESPN2’s “First Take” alongside Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim is Max Kellerman, who will depart his radio show with Marcellus Wiley on ESPN O&O KSPN, Los Angeles. Kellerman is also giving up his role on the Los Angeles-based “SportsNation” show on ESPN2. Kellerman says, “I’m thrilled to join the excellent team at ‘First Take.’ Years back, on-the-air and in the hallways of ESPN Radio New York, Stephen A. and I would engage in detailed and thoughtful discussions on sports and every other topic you can imagine. To do that again, now for the ‘First Take’ audience, is going to be a lot of fun.” Kellerman’s last show on KSPN is Friday (7/15).

Bram Weinstein Replaces Tony Kornheiser on WTEM, Washington. Sports media pro Bram Weinstein interned at Red Zebra Broadcasting’s WTEM, Washington “ESPN 980” while attending American University. Then he served as a show host and Redskins beat reporter from 1999 through 2008. Since then he’s been working at ESPN. Now, he returns to DC to host the 11:00 am to 1:00 pm show, replacing Tony Kornheiser. Weinstein says, “I always knew my career would bring me back to Washington. What I never envisioned was getting this particular opportunity. It’s a surreal honor. I can’t wait to get the show started.”

Nielsen Audio Releases Fourth Round of June 2016 PPM Data. The fourth of four rounds of June 2016 PPM ratings data from Nielsen Audio has been released for 12 markets including: Austin, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Providence, Raleigh, Norfolk, Nashville, Greensboro, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Memphis, and Hartford. The June 2016 survey period covered May 19 to June 15. You can find the complete 6+ ratings numbers from subscribing stations here. Additionally, TALKERS/RadioInfo managing editor Mike Kinosian provides his “Twelve Takeaways” from this group on the main page of our sister publication here.

NRHOF 2016 Inductees Announced. The National Radio Hall of Fame announces the results of the voting for the class of 2016. There were 24 nominations in six categories. The first four categories below were decided by a panel of 400 industry professionals. The last two categories — Music Format On-Air Personality and Spoken Word On-Air Personality — were voted on by the public. The 2016 inductees are: Eric & Kathy (Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart), WTMX, Chicago — Active Local/Regional, 10+ years; Jeff & Jer (Jeff Detrow and Jerry Cesak), KYKY, San Diego — Longstanding Local/Regional, 20+ years; Steve Harvey, Premiere Networks — Active Network/Syndication, 10+ years; Delilah, Premiere Networks — Longstanding Network/Syndication, 20+ years; Bob Kingsley, Westwood One — Music Format On-Air Personality; and Michael Savage, Westwood One — Spoken Word On-Air Personality. Additionally, the National Radio Hall of Fame nominating committee voted to induct four individuals for their contribution to the industry. They are: George G. Beasley, Chairman/CEO/Founder of Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc; Kidd Kraddick, the late syndicated air personality; Tony Roberts, former sportscaster and play-by-play announcer for Notre Dame Football; and Neil Rogers, the late South Florida air personality. NRHOF chairman Kraig Kitchin says, “This year’s class of inductees represents the diversity that makes radio so personal, entertaining and impactful. We all very much appreciate everyone who participated in this process as we welcome the very best in our business into the National Radio Hall of Fame.” The induction ceremony takes place at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in downtown Chicago on November 17.

KXL, Portland’s Clyde Lewis to Host Controversial Science Figure Marshall Barnes in Live Demonstration of ‘Time Machine.’ This Friday evening, “Ground Zero” host Clyde Lewis will welcome Marshall Barnes to Alpha Media Portland’s Skype Live Studio where Barnes will present two experiments before a live audience that KXL says “will have a major impact in the field of theoretical physics.” According to a press release, “the first experiment will demonstrate retrocausality, cause after effect. Done usually with single particles of light called photons, Marshall has achieved it with many photons at once from a laser and causes a portion of the beam to appear out of nowhere after the laser has been turned off. The second experiment, and most spectacular, will demonstrate the first and only time machine – the Verdrehung Fan. The Verdrehung Fan appears to open micro wormholes through which the infra-red pulses of a hand held remote control will disappear and fail to emerge out the other side to activate a TV.” Barnes – who calls himself an R&D engineer – is a controversial figure in the scientific world. Lewis says, “Marshall Barnes is the real deal – he’s been on ‘Ground Zero’ a few times and has blown away the listeners and myself with his innovative, scientific concepts and multi-dimensional perspective about the universe. I believe these upcoming experiments Marshall conducts are going to provide us with profound insights and expand our consciousness with regard to the mysterious multi-verse. Enjoy the ride!”

Odds & Sods. The independently syndicated “Joe Walsh Program” adds new affiliate stations KSEV, Houston; WXLW-AM/WFDM-FM, Indianapolis; and WYDE-FM, Birmingham. This brings Walsh’s affiliate roster to seven stations for the syndicated program. Walsh also hosts a separate show on Salem Media Group’s WIND, Chicago…..Brian Roth returns to the play-by-play role in the radio booth for Colorado State University football and men’s basketball. He’ll also serve as host for the coaches’ shows. Roth was color commentator for the past three years. Learfield’s Rams Sports Properties hold the rights to games and Townsquare Media’s KARS-FM, Fort Collins “Rock 102.9” is serving as flagship for the network…..The nationally syndicated “America’s Healthcare Advocate Show” moves to a 12:00 noon Saturday (CT) start time on KMBZ-FM, Kansas City…..On the day that the nation learned about the five police officers killed in Dallas, Radio America nationally syndicated talk host Dana Loesch thanked the Indianapolis officers who helped provide security during her stop in the market to promote her new book, Flyover Nation. She said via social media, “They put their lives on the line every day.” Loesch was visiting local affiliate WIBC-FM as part of the book tour.

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TALKERS 2016 Conference to Feature Podcasting Panel. Attendees at this year’s TALKERS 2016 Bridging the Generations conference at Hofstra University on Friday, May 20 will have the opportunity to hear PodcastOne chairman and founder Norm Pattiz moderate “The Podcasting Session.” This panel will feature: Panoply/The Slate Group chief content officer and co-founder Andy Bowers; WOR, New York program director Tom Cuddy; Hubbard Radio SVP of programming Greg Strassell; and Edison Research VP of strategy Tom Webster. This panel discussion will delve into the issues relevant not only to the podcasting platform itself, but also into issues AM/FM broadcasters who are also producing podcasts are dealing with. TALKERS magazine executive editor Kevin Casey says, “Podcasting is obviously a hot topic in the radio industry right now. Talk radio practitioners are eager to learn about the best practices for producing and selling this digital content and this panel discussion, led by industry pioneer Norm Pattiz, will send them home with actionable information on this nascent form of broadcasting.” TALKERS 2016 Bridging the Generations is nearing a sellout. For complete agenda information click here. To register or for sponsorship information, call 413-565-5413.

Emmis Fiscal Q4 Revenue Down 6%. The Indianapolis-based company functions on a fiscal calendar and its 2015 fourth quarter ended on February 29 of this year. Emmis Communications reports its radio net revenue was $36.4 million, down 6%. For the full fiscal year of 2015, radio revenue was $169.2 million, compared to $176.3 million in the prior year, a decrease of 4%. President and CEO Jeff Smulyan states, “Emmis’ fourth quarter was weak, mostly due to expected underperformance in Los Angeles. The good news is our first quarter is much improved and currently pacing flat to the prior year. New York’s performance has been stellar, ratings in LA have begun to grow again, and ratings across our other radio markets are very strong. NextRadio is coming off a fantastic National Association of Broadcasters convention, and momentum is building. At NAB, it was announced that PRSS, the distribution network for public radio, is being integrated into NextRadio. Carrier and handset conversations are robust, and advertiser interest is high. In addition, we will launch in our first international market, Peru, in the coming weeks. I couldn’t be more pleased with the efforts of Paul Brenner and his team in bringing NextRadio to our industry and to listeners everywhere.”

Salem Media Group Broadcast Revenue Rises 4.2%. It was a quarter of increases all the way around for Salem Media Group. Its total revenue increased 4.4%. The broadcast segment saw revenue rise 4.2%. Digital media was up 4.6% and publishing revenue increased 6.5%. CEO Ed Atsinger says the 4.2% broadcast sector increase “compares favorably to the market generally which was up about 1.7% at least in the markets in which we operate according to Miller Kaplan. Our block programming had another solid quarter, up 7.1%, local spot revenue grew 3.6%, network revenue grew by 16.7%. And geographically, we had a strong market performance in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, while facing some weakness in the Dallas market.”

Radio One Reports First Quarter Revenue Hike of 3.1%. Company president and CEO Alfred Liggins III says the good first quarter news is continuing into the second quarter. For Q1 of 2016, Radio One net revenue was approximately $109.1 million, an increase of 3.1% from the same period in 2015. Station operating income was approximately $39.6 million, an increase of 10.1% from the same period in 2015. Liggins states, “We saw a sequential monthly improvement in our radio revenues as the first quarter progressed, and that positive momentum is continuing into Q2 where we are pacing up low single digits. Political revenues were strong, which augurs well for the fourth quarter when we historically receive the bulk of political radio advertising. TV One had a strong first quarter, with growth in both advertising (+3.5%) and affiliate revenues (+12.3%). All four of our reportable segments posted year-over-year, double-digit adjusted EBITDA growth. Overall I was pleased with our 13% growth in consolidated adjusted EBITDA, the stabilization of our radio revenues, and growth of radio cash flow.”

Saga Communications Net Revenue Up 12.7%. For the radio segment of Saga Communications, the pro forma net operating revenue was up 4.6% on revenue of $27.5 million for the first quarter of the year. The company closed on its purchase of classic rock WLVQ, Columbus during the quarter and had been operating the station under an LMA since last November. Saga reports that free cash flow increased 35.4% to $4.9 million and operating income increased 40.1% to $5.3 million.

Sports Talker John Lund Crosses Street to KNBR, San Francisco. The Bay Area sports talk personality leaves Entercom’s KGMZ “95.7 The Game” to become co-host of the afternoon drive show at Cumulus Media’s KNBR with Tom Tolbert. John Lund co-hosted the midday “Papa & Lund” show with Greg Papa at KGMZ. He’s also worked at KXTG-AM, Portland; KESN-FM, Dallas; WXYT-FM, Detroit; WEAE-AM, Pittsburgh; and KZNS-AM, Salt Lake City. KNBR program director Lee Hammer says, “John brings a wealth of sports knowledge and experience to KNBR. He’s worked in San Francisco for several years, and has keen insights into our Bay Area teams. KNBR fans are in for a real treat when he’s teamed up with Tom Tolbert in afternoon drive. It will definitely be ‘appointment listening.’”

Ramsey, Rich Headlining Radio Show. In a vCreative-sponsored session, financial expert/radio host Dave Ramsey will keynote this year’s Radio Show. Part of his “Cutting Edge Trends in Marketing” address at the confab, produced by the Radio Advertising Bureau and the National Association of Broadcasters, will include a conversation with country music artist John Rich (right) of the duo Big & Rich. According to RAB president and chief executive officer Erica Farber, “We are delighted and honored that Dave Ramsey and John Rich will join us at this year’s conference. These two incredible innovators will share some great ideas. Radio Show attendees will walk away with tremendous takeaways they can then put to use immediately.” NAB executive vice president of radio John David comments, “The power of radio has contributed to the successful careers of both Dave Ramsey and John Rich. We are pleased to present these talented and engaging individuals at the Radio Show.” Ramsey’s daily syndicated eponymous radio program is heard on more than 550 stations, while his “Financial Peace” and “Total Money Makeover” books have sold more than a combined 10 million copies. He was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2013 and into the National Radio Hall of Fame two years later. The Radio Show will be held in more than four months (9/21 – 23) at Nashville’s Omni Hotel; The Ramsey-Rich session takes place the first day of the conference, Wednesday, September 21.

PodcastOne and MediaDC Launch Two New Podcasts. Two new shows are debuting on the PodcastOne platform. MediaDC, publisher of The Weekly Standard and Washington Examiner, is working with PodcastOne to present “Examining Politics by Washington Examiner” and “Weekly Standard Confab.” Washington Examiner senior congressional correspondent David Drucker hosts “Examining Politics” which will revolve around the publication’s editorial content. It’ll feature Drucker and a roundtable of staff. “The Weekly Standard Confab” is hosted by managing editor Eric Felton, who will be joined by a different guest each segment to talk about topics ranging from politics, policy and international affairs, to arts and culture. PodcastOne chairman and CEO Norm Pattiz says, “There’s just too much going on this election season for PodcastOne not to be part of it. In partnering with MediaDC to produce and distribute podcasts from The Weekly Standard and Washington Examiner, we’ve accomplished our mission.”

Odds & Sods. The USA Radio Networks-syndicated “Trending Today USA” with Rusty Humphries moves to the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET daypart and adds a new affiliate in iHeartMedia’s WGST, Atlanta. Station PD Dan Hunt says, “Rusty has a great history in Atlanta and we are excited to have him back on Talk Radio 640 WGST. ‘Trending Today USA’ provides our listeners with the latest news and information in real time, while bringing a fresh perspective that can’t be duplicated anywhere else in the market.”…..KCSP, Kansas City sports talkers Danny Parkins and Carrington Harrison were disturbed by the Kansas City Chiefs’ decision to draft Tyreek Hill after the football player had pleaded guilty to hitting and choking his pregnant girlfriend. They decided to do something positive about it and started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the Rose Brooks Center domestic violence shelter. So far they have raised more than $12,000.

The Presidential Race, Hillary Clinton Email Server Case, Battle Against Islamic State, North Korea Nukes, Russia-NATO Tensions, California Ups Legal Cigarette Purchase Age, and NBA-NHL Playoffs Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (5/4). GOP candidate Donald Trump secures the nomination with a victory in the Indiana primary election; allegations by Romanian hacker Guccifer that he accessed Hillary Clinton’s private email server; the death of a Navy SEAL in Iraq and the ongoing battle against Islamic State; the reported build-up of nuclear weapons by North Korea; Russia’s military posturing and threats against NATO; California becomes the second state to make tobacco purchases legal for those 21 and older; and the NBA and NHL playoffs were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

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Monday Trivia Question. Granted, this deals with television, but it most definitely could have talk radio implications. Here goes: What is the most-watched cable news telecast in history? Your hint is that viewership for this broadcast is estimated to have been 24 million. Give yourself a pat on the back if you guessed last week’s GOP presidential debate on the Fox News Channel. Among adults 18-49, the roughly two-hour debate drew 7.9 million. More than 20 million debate-related interactions appeared on Facebook. According to The Hollywood Reporter, by way of perspective, the first Republican primary debate in 2011 attracted 3.2 million viewers to FNC, and that channel’s coverage of the final 2012 presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney reached 11.5 million. TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison comments, “The amazing numbers attracted by the Fox debate certainly underscore the power and potency of politics as an area of interest in America. Those who are loudly touting the death of politics, in general, as a viable genre within the talk radio universe are missing the point. The question should not be IF politics belongs as a mainstay topic of news/talk radio – but HOW it should be done going forward.” Harrison adds, “And that, of course, is not to say that talk radio cannot benefit by tapping into so many other topics of concern to people today beyond politics… but this election is proving that politics is here to stay and to abandon it would be throwing the proverbial baby out with the bathwater.”

KFI, KLAC Add HD2 Coverage. Sports KLAC “AM 570,” Los Angeles will simulcast on the HD2 channel of co-owned iHeartMedia alternative cluster-mate KYSR “Alt 98.7,” while talker KFI will simulcast on the HD2 channel of adult contemporary sibling AC KOST “Coast 103.5.” Senior vice president of programming Andrew Jeffries comments, “Exposing our premiere talk brands of KFI and KLAC to a wider audience on HD is an exciting progression for our programming. It is in our listeners’ best interests to have these stations on every platform they desire, from the AM frequencies, on the iHeartRadio app, and now HD2.” No HD channel for any company appears in Nielsen Audio‘s July 2015 PPM report for Los Angeles. Among persons 6+ in July, KOST’s main “Coast 103.5” channel places #1 overall (5.4); KFI is #8 (3.4); KYSR is tied for #19 (2.4); and Los Angeles Dodgers‘ flagship KLAC is #31 (.9).

Net Q2 Radio One Revenue Grows to $119.8 million. That represents a gain of 10.5% from $108.4 million in 2014. Meanwhile, station operating-income shows a 14.3% improvement (from $41 million) to $46.9. Radio One president and chief operating officer Alfred Liggins, however, comments, “Core radio advertising business was soft for the quarter, although in line with our expectations, and partially offset by the strong performance of our network and syndication business – Reach Media. On a combined basis, radio plus Reach Media revenue was +8.6% versus Q2 2014, or -3.2% after adjusting for the timing of major events. Third quarter core radio advertising revenue is currently pacing down mid-single digits, but we expect this decline to be more than offset by the continued strong performance of TV One; we are working diligently to turn around radio performance in our key markets.” Television advertising for the company was up 13.7% for the quarter, and affiliate revenues were +27%. Compared to $10.8 million or 23 cents per share a year ago, Radio One’s net earnings grow to $13 million – or 27 cents per share.

Remembering Frank Gifford. He wore #16 for the New York Football Giants and was one of the NFL‘s premier players in a career that spanned a dozen years (1952 – 1964). Owing to his rugged good looks, Frank Gifford transitioned to broadcasting when his playing days were over. Perhaps seen by some as a pretty boy, the University of Southern California All-American – who died today (Sunday, 8/9) of natural causes in his Connecticut home – constantly burned and embarrassed defenses as a halfback, receiver, or he could even run the option. Not only was Gifford on the Giants’ 1956 championship team, he was the league’s MVP that year and the Pro Bowl MVP two years later. In 2008, Gifford, along with Peter Richmond, wrote “The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever.” The Baltimore Colts beat Gifford’s New York Giants in that game, 23-17. Several particular things worth noting about Santa Monica-born “Faultless Frank” are that, while virtually everyone recalls him for his fame in television, he actually cut his media teeth in radio. Moreover, while most former athletes-turned-broadcasters did (and do) so in the capacity of analyst, Gifford adroitly took charge in the play-by-play role. Others did it before and since, but Gifford was one of the very first who looked and sounded like a professionally-trained broadcaster. In addition, in the overwhelming number of cases, ex-athletes in the booth tend to be one-trick ponies, covering only the sport they played. Not Gifford: He handled multiple sports and was an integral part of ABC-TV‘s “Olympics” coverage. During his playing days, he worked at CBS Radio in several capacities and would go on to anchor a nightly CBS Radio Network sports roundup. Gifford continued his relationship with CBS, doing sports on New York City owned & operated WCBS-TV (channel 2), ultimately graduating to calling Sunday games on CBS-TV. Many would say the huge break for Gifford was shifting to ABC-TV for that network’s “MNF” games. He replaced Keith Jackson in 1971, joining Howard Cosell and “Dandy” Don Meredith. His wife of 29 years, “Today Show” host Kathie Lee Gifford (Frank & Kathie Lee at right), is among those who survive Gifford and she took to Twitter to note she is “deeply grateful to all [for your] outpouring of grace.” CBS Radio Los Angeles CHR KAMP “Amp” morning personality/host of NBC-TV‘s “The Voice” Carson Daly tweets, “My heart breaks for the loss of Frank; we are praying and thinking of [his family] today.” Kathie Lee’s “Today Show” co-host, Hoda Kotb, writes she is “heartbroken.” Also in “The Today Show” family, Al Roker notes that he will “always remember Frank Gifford’s grace, self-deprecating wit and love of his family – so much to so many.” Frank Gifford met Kathie Lee when they guest-hosted “Good Morning America.” That show’s former co-host Joan Lunden writes, “Great guy, great couple.” According to Kendall Jenner, it is a “very sad day. Rest in peace to my Godfather – the legend, Frank Gifford.” Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford have a son and daughter; the 1977 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee had three other children from a previous marriage. This coming Saturday (8/16), Frank Gifford, would have turned 85 years old.

Over $4 Million Generated From FCC FM Auction 98. Results after 10 days and more than 50 rounds find 59 qualified bidders scoring 102 permits, with the FCC taking in slightly more than $4.1 million. It is all part of FM Auction 98, as the FCC auctions FM construction permits. The Erie Company, LLC boasts top bid honors ($714,000) for a Westfield, New York permit, while Iris Media, LLC proposes $421,000 for a Columbia, Missouri permit. Alpha Media remains active by offering more than $400,000 for a permit in Harper, Texas.

Tribune Tower Continues Its Brick Collection. When he was Tribune‘s publisher and company president (1911-1955) Robert R. McCormick requested that his correspondents bring back stones from their travels to add into the base of Chicago’s Tribune Tower. That tradition lives on this Friday (8/14) at 11:30 am when bricks from Wrigley Field (home of the Chicago Cubs) and Comiskey Park (Chicago White Sox) will permanently be installed into the limestone exterior of Tribune Tower. WGN-AM host Bob Sirott will host the ceremony, which will include interviews with Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. The bricks will join 148 stones from around the world and all 50 states that are already part of the Tribune Tower’s façade. Artifacts included are from The Alamo, Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal, and Abraham Lincoln’s original tomb. Last added to the building were tiles from the Sydney Opera House in May 2006. Tribune-owned talker WGN-AM, of course, was the longtime radio flagship of the Cubs, whose games – as of this year – air on CBS Radio‘s news-formatted WBBM-AM; CBS Radio-owned WSCR “The Score” is the White Sox flagship, but that will change next year when the pale hose shift to Cumulus Media talker WLS-AM.

Odds & Sods. KOIL “The Mighty 1290,” Omaha joins the Kansas City Chiefs’ 65-affiliate radio network. Executive producer Dan Israel notes, “Eastern Nebraska is a vital part of the ‘Chiefs Kingdom’ and we are very excited to welcome KOIL as the new exclusive home of Chiefs coverage for Omaha.” KOIL operations manager Dave Tepper states, “We are honored to join one of the NFL’s most passionate fan bases in cheering on the Chiefs.” The NRG Media talker begins its coverage by airing the team’s first preseason game this Saturday (8/15) against the Arizona Cardinals.

Eight Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame. The ceremony from Canton, Ohio’s Pro Football Hall of Fame was held this past Saturday (8/8). Those honored were Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Junior Seau, Will Shields, Mick Tingelhoff, Bill Polian, and Ron Wolf.Westwood One Sports had live coverage and then continued by airing the Hall of Fame Game the next day between the Minnesota Vikings (14) and Pittsburgh Steelers (3). Shown here are Westwood One’s Scott Graham, 2015 inductee/six-time Pro Bowl selection Jerome Bettis, and Westwood One analyst, Hall of Famer James Lofton.

Michael Harrison Chats with Former FEMA Director (and Current KHOW, Denver Talk Host) Michael D. Brown as 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina Approaches. It was almost a decade ago (August 23-31, 2005) that Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast of the United States with winds of up to 175 mph and flood waters of biblical proportions rising from the ocean and falling from the sky — leaving in its wake almost 1,900 fatalities, $108 billion in damages, and countless casualties and lives upended. Michael D. Brown – the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at the time and Under Secretary of Homeland Security (“Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job”) became the official poster boy for everything that went wrong with the federal government’s too-little-too-late response to one of the greatest disasters in American history. Some of the criticism that fell upon Brown was deserved – but much of it wasn’t. After all, it was an epic crisis and involved numerous overlapping agencies, governments, and politicians charged with making things right. Brown took a severe beating from the media as well as a proverbial bullet for the team and stepped down from his position with the Bush Administration. A lawyer by trade, Brown went on with his life, taking away an enormous amount of wisdom and experience from the episode. Undaunted, he began speaking to groups around the country about the insidious side of politics, and the human complexity of management and team play. He wrote a candid book about his role (and responsibility) in Katrina — Deadly Indifference: The Perfect (Political) Storm, Hurricane Katrina, the Bush White House, and Beyond (Taylor Trade, 2011). He also began a successful talk show hosting career in Denver – first at KOA and then at KHOW, where he presently presides over a daily program 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm MT. In the newly posted installment of the weekly international hit podcast “Up Close and Far Out” (8/4), Brown is interviewed by RadioInfo publisher Michael Harrison about inside-Washington politics, the war on terror, the nature of the political mind, the psychological profile of presidents, the general state of media and journalism as well as what his life is like as a big market talk show host 10 years after Katrina. To hear this must-listen conversation, please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player located in the right hand column on every page of RadioInfo.com.

Cool Job Opening for News Reporter/Anchor. Award-winning news/talker WSVA in Harrisonburg, Virginia has an opening in its news department. They are looking for a hard working reporter/anchor to be part of their afternoon drive show and cover and report on local news. Send audio and resume to fwilt@harrisonburgradiogroup.com or mail to Frank Wilt, WSVA Radio, 1820 Heritage Center Way, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. Harrisonburg Radio Group. EOE.

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Art Bell Says Adios to SiriusXM After Six Weeks. On his website, late night talk radio icon Art Bell writes that he’s leaving SiriusXM where his “Art Bell’s Dark Matter” program was airing after just six weeks for three reasons: SiriusXM’s web player is notoriously unreliable, causing a loss of subscribers and a degraded listening experience for those who remain listening online; for a “caller driven” show, the caller pool for Art’s show is just too small; and international listeners have no legitimate way to hear the show. SiriusXM has not commented on Bell’s post nor any issues the two parties may be having. TALKERS editors can’t help but wonder how these points weren’t discovered and dealt with prior to the announcement Bell would be joining the satcaster, especially in light of Bell’s additional comments. They are: “This is not the first time that we have heard issues relating to the internet platform offered up by SiriusXM. There have been a host of issues from the functionality to being booted off, to having longer shows reset from the beginning after an hour and a half, making it almost impossible to listen to a two hour show on demand.” The post is written in third person and continues: “The departure of Bell, as unfortunate as it is, should be a signal to SiriusXM. The company has a compelling product, great content, and great potential, but in some ways has lost the edge that it once had. The frustrations of Bell can be heard on other channels as well. Opie & Anthony, Howard Stern, Jay Thomas, and others have all at times expressed a great deal of frustration. In some ways, the complaints of on air personalities ring back to the old FM days of terrestrial radio, a path that many consumers and on air personalities could not wait to get away from.”

Michael Medved and Stephanie Miller to Debate in Chicago.WYD Media Management syndicated progressive talk host Stephanie Miller – based out of KTLK, Los Angeles – and KTTH, Seattle-based Salem Radio Network syndicated personality Michael Medved will meet in the Windy City for a debate of the hot issues of the day on Thursday at The Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The event is titled “The Great Debate 3” and will be moderated by WGN-TV political analyst Paul Lisnek. Medved is heard in the market on Salem O&O WIND “AM 560 The Answer” and Miller’s show is carried on WCPT. Issues debated will include: Will the Affordable Care Act be fully implemented or repealed? Which is the bigger threat to American prosperity: big business or big government? Is it constitutional for the NSA to spy on foreign leaders or the American people?

Sports Talker Dan Sileo Fired from WMEN, West Palm Beach for Tweet. Yesterday TALKERS magazine reported that Florida sports talk host Dan Sileo – who previously worked for WDAE, Tampa and WQAM, Miami prior to joining WMEN “640 Sports” – Tweeted that he’d pay $1,000 to whichever player “took out” Florida State player Devonta Freeman because he felt Freeman was disrespecting his alma mater Miami during Florida State’s crushing win over the Hurricanes. He then deleted the Tweet and apologized but that wasn’t enough for James Crystal Radio which let him go on Monday. Sileo wrote on his Facebook page: “I want to first start this letter off by saying…We thank 640 AM SPORTS for having us on the station the last few months…was VERY COOL!!….With that…640 and myself are parting ways over a TWEET I made about an FSU player who I thought was DISRESPECTING the UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI…It was a moment of emotion when I said I would like to pay $1,000 for anybody to take him out…..NOW….I NEVER thought ANYBODY would take that serious but they have…a MOUNTAIN of BACKLASH has come against 640 and my family…There are NOW DEATH THREATS against me and my family and I have hired a private COP to protect US….So we UNDERSTAND that some of U took my comment serious…..AGAIN….Was just an EX Player saying a feeling that was wrong….To FSU…we APOLOGIZE…NO WAY would I ever want a kid hurt…..GOOD LUCK TO 640 AND THE CANES!”

Jimmy Kimmel to Host Howard Stern Birthday Bash on SiriusXM. The satcaster says that for the first time on satellite radio the infamous Howard Stern Birthday Bash show will be heard on the evening of January 31, 2014 to commemorate Stern’s 60th birthday. Jimmy Kimmel is expected to host the live broadcast from a major New York venue with an audience of VIPs and fans. As he loves to do, Stern will reveal more about the show – including VIP guests, performers and the special location – over the next few months on his SiriusXM show. Stern says, “With this birthday bash, we are finally one step closer to making my birthday the national holiday it deserves to be.” Kimmel adds, “I am honored and excited to take part in a celebration of the life of my friend and hero Howard Stern. This should be the best BaBa-birthday party ever.”

Liberty Media Reports SiriusXM Q3 Financials: Revenue Up 11%. Although Liberty Media acquired a controlling interest of SiriusXM in January of this year, Liberty is reporting the satcaster’s financial numbers separately because it “believes the presentation of financial results as reported by SiriusXM is useful to investors as the comparability of those results are best understood in the context of SiriusXM’s historical financial presentation.” Highlights of SiriusXM’s earnings include: record revenue of $962 million, up 11% from third quarter of 2012; net income of $63 million; adjusted EBITDA grew 21% to a record $296 million; the company repurchased $1.6 billion in shares from January 1 through September 30, 2013. Initial 2014 guidance is: revenue of over $4 billion and adjusted EBITDA of approximately $1.38 billion.

Michael Kassan Media-Focused Feature to Begin on WOR, New York. The Clear Channel news/talk outlet announces that “Medialinked — Inside Advertising and Media with Michael Kassan” debuts today. The company says the new show offering industry reports from the highly influential business and media strategist will also be available on iHeartRadio and at wor710.com. Kassan, who is founder, chairman and CEO of MediaLink and also serves as special advisor to CC chairman Bob Pittman, will provide a daily inside look at the advertising and media worlds featuring exclusive interviews with his personally selected list of major media and advertising figures as well as commentary on significant industry topics. Special features will also include Kassan’s expert analysis and reports on key industry events including Ad Week, Association of National Advertisers (ANA), American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAA), Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and more. Clear Channel New York market president Joe Puglise says, “Michael Kassan is an internationally recognized media specialist and his expert opinion will provide WOR listeners inside analysis of the media and advertising industry. His passion and enthusiasm for the industry will resonate well with WOR listeners and provide an avenue for partners and advertisers to engage in the conversation.”

‘News One Now with Roland Martin’ Debuts.Radio One’s radio and television project featuring former CNN star Roland Martin debuted on Monday. “News One Now with Roland Martin” is a three-hour radio show being syndicated by Radio One in which the third hour of the 10:00 am to 1:00 pm daily program is simulcast on the company’s TV One cable channel. On the program’s premiere, Martin discussed topics including the controversial death of Kendrick Johnson; the Detroit mayoral race; Africa’s economic boom as well as spoke with Radio One and TV One CEO Alfred Liggins about minority ownership in the media. Martin told the Houston Chronicle’s David Barron that this program, especially on the TV side, will bring important black Americans into the media to talk about today’s issues. “This is a chance for us to show the breadth and depth of black America. When was the last time you saw a black economist talking on television? Other than Colin Powell, when was the last time you saw a black general talking about the military? We can showcase that talent.”

David Bellavia’s Stint at WBEN Buffaloed by Employer. Last month Entercom announced that frequent fill-in and weekend talk show host David Bellavia was being given his own late night talk show – airing from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am – on news/talk WBEN. Now, after just two weeks hosting the program, Bellavia has had to step down from the show after his full-time employer objected to his taking the position. Not only will Bellavia not host his own daily program, he’s apparently not working for WBEN at all, including as the go-to fill-in personality for Sandy Beach and Tom Bauerle when they are away, which he had been doing in the recent past. Reports from Buffalo indicate that Bellavia’s employer had a change of heart about his work with WBEN. Michael Caputo is filling in for Sandy Beach and the station is running “Best of” programming in the late night slot.

ObamaCare Criticisms, 2014 and 2016 Elections, Virginia Governor Race, Dolphins Suspend Player for Misconduct, and New Jersey Mall Scare Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (11/4). The ongoing scrutiny of the rollout of the Affordable Care Act; speculation about the GOP’s prospects in the 2014 mid-term elections and the 2016 presidential race; today’s Virginia governor contest, the suspension of a Miami Dolphins veteran over allegations of misconduct toward another rookie teammate; and the tensions caused by the suicide of a man at a New Jersey mall were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

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SiriusXM Moves Past 25 Million Subscriber Mark.SiriusXM Radio announces it has added 715,000 net new subscribers in the second quarter, and that brings its total subscriber number to more than 25 million. The satcaster cites strong automotive sales for helping drive 15% growth in net additions over the second quarter of 2012 and setting “a post-merger record for quarterly net subscriber additions.” As a result, SiriusXM is raising full-year guidance for total net subscriber additions to 1.5 million from its previous guidance of 1.4 million. Company CEO Jim Meyer states, “The new subscriber additions in the quarter have helped SiriusXM reach an exciting new milestone that reflects the popularity and reach of SiriusXM programming and services. The quarterly results bolster SiriusXM’s leadership position in a dynamic audio entertainment marketplace as we continue our trend of strong, profitable growth. Additionally, we are raising 2013 subscriber guidance to 1.5 million net additions based on our record performance in the quarter.” Also, the company reiterated its existing 2013 guidance for 1.6 million self-pay net subscriber additions.

Clear Channel’s WOR, New York Bidding on Yankees Broadcast Rights. According to a report by Phil Mushnick and Don Burke in the New York Post, Clear Channel-owned WOR, New York is entering the bidding war over rights to New York Yankees baseball play-by-play. The reporters cite inside sources that say the company has offered a figure surpassing the current $14 million CBS Radio pays to air games on its all-news WCBS. CBS Radio has held the rights for the past 11 years and bidding (contracts for both the Yankees and the Mets expire after this season) was expected to be hot with WFAN’s addition of an FM signal in the market and ESPN-owned WEPN also gaining an FM signal. Whether Clear Channel really wants the Yankees or not is up for speculation – it’s not unusual for companies to enter into the bidding process to drive up the cost for its competition. It’s a pretty good bet that CBS Radio wants to keep the Yankees but if the price gets too steep will the company let the games go to WOR? Time will tell. Meanwhile, unlike Buckley Broadcasting (WOR’s previous owner) Clear Channel has a lot of experience owning flagship baseball signals at its other stations across the country.

Tribune to Split Broadcast and Publishing Entities into Two Companies.Tribune Company is reporting that it is beginning the process of dividing its assets into two distinctive companies: Tribune Company will contain WGN-AM, Chicago and all of the television stations and TV production units while Tribune Publishing will be the parent of its newspapers including the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant and others. Like similarly structured companies, Tribune is focusing on its entertainment properties and the recent plan to acquire Local TV Holdings’ 19 TV stations is proof of that. During its long bankruptcy proceedings, Tribune had its newspapers on the market but was unable to execute a deal. News Corp. just announced it would execute a similar move and is splitting its TV and entertainment holdings (including Fox News Channel) into one company – 21st Century Fox – while keeping its publishing assets in the entity called News Corp.

Rachel Baribeau Exits ’92.9 The Game’ in Atlanta. One of the cast members of CBS Radio sports talk WZGC, Atlanta “92.9 The Game” exits for a gig with Raycom Sports. Rachel Baribeau leaves the PM drive show where she appeared alongside Kordell Stewart and Carl Dukes to join the company that owns the television rights to ACC basketball and football and, through a sublicense with ESPN, is the syndicator of ACC football and basketball. The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s Rodney Ho reports Dukes and Stewart mentioned her departure on the air with Dukes stating, “We love Rachel and we’ll stay in contact with her. She’s moving on to a great opportunity for herself.”

Nationally Syndicated Financial Talk Host Ray Lucia Fined Over Investment Strategy Claims.Ray Lucia and his Raymond J. Lucia Cos. Inc. were fined by administrative-law judge Cameron Elliot after the judge agreed with the original SEC complaint that Lucia’s “Buckets of Money” investment strategy – which claimed it had back-testing to support the success of its strategy – had “scant, if any, actual back-tests.” According to a report in Investment News, Lucia was fined $50,000 and his company was fined $250,000. Additionally, his advisor registration was revoked by the judge. Investment News reports that Elliot ruled Lucia “misrepresented for years ‘the validity of purported back-testing in seminars for prospective investors’ interested in his Buckets of Money strategy for retirement savings.” Lucia and his company have 21 days in which to appeal the decision.

Radio One and TV One Bring Roland Martin to Radio and TV with “News One Now.”Radio One president and CEO and TV One chairman Alfred Liggins announces to Multichannel.com that his companies are developing a new program featuring former CNN journalist Roland Martin to be called “News One Now” that will debut in the fall prior to the Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Legislative Conference. Liggins says, “This is a further evolution of TV One’s commitment to better and more important television for African-Americans, and is also an extension of Radio One’s history and philosophy of making sure we inform, entertain and advocate for the African-American community. This is the first time a network has approached African-American news on this type of commitment level.” Liggins adds, “About 50% of African Americans get their news from cable news networks so we now have the opportunity to set the table on a daily basis. The show will serve as the nexus of black thought – when you talk about what’s happening politically, socially, culturally in our communities, this is the place where people will be able to have those discussions.” The three-hour radio show will air from 7:00 am to 10:00 am with the last hour simulcast on television via TV One and will “offer news and analysis of politics, entertainment, sports and culture from an African American perspective.” Martin has been hosting TV One’s Sunday program “Washington Watch” but with the new venture, that show will not return in the fall.

Compass Media Networks’ ‘Free Beer & Hot Wings’ Morning Show Renews with Flagship WGRD, Grand Rapids.Townsquare Media’s rock WGRD, Grand Rapids announces it has struck a new deal with the nationally syndicated young male-targeted “Free Beer & Hot Wings” morning drive show hosted by Gregg “Free Beer” Daniels, Chris “Hot Wings” Michels, and Eric Zane. The new deal keeps the program on the station through 2018. Townsquare Grand Rapids vice president/general manager Russ Hines tells MLive.com, “Gregg, Chris and Eric continue to entertain and grow their audience every day and amuse their listeners with quality humorous content. Their decision to stay in West Michigan and continue to raise their families here is another indication of what makes Grand Rapids special.”

KQNT, Spokane Adds Sean Hannity for Middays.Clear Channel-owned news/talk KQNT, Spokane adds Premiere Networks’ Sean Hannity program to the schedule to air in the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm following Premiere’s Rush Limbaugh. KQNT program director Bob Castle states, “Sean Hannity is a media superstar and his addition to our lineup now provides our listeners and advertisers with the most popular talk show hosts in the country, all on one station.”

Gary Landis Named Director of Client Relations at Fifty & Five. Former Westwood One vice president and longtime media consultant Gary Landis joins Fifty & Five as director of client relations. Based in Redondo Beach, California, Fifty & Five is a four-year-old firm that specializes in social media marketing for brands, products and services including the radio industry. Speaking about his new opportunity, Landis states, “With over 40 years of national broadcasting experience behind me, I am looking forward to working with CEO Lucas Vandenberg and EVP of client relations Peter Evans, plus the most incredible team of social media talent on the planet. This is not your mother’s social media agency. Beyond what is being done by every radio station today, there are new ways to employ social media that can profoundly impact the bottom line.” Peter Evans says, “With Gary’s diverse experience and expertise in the broadcast media, we can only anticipate great things from him in the coming months and years.” Landis can be reached at 612-581-7581 or by e-mail at gary@fiftyandfive.com.

Doug Stephan’s ‘Dream Big America’ Kicked Off This Week. Nationally syndicated talk show host Doug Stephan – heard around the country on his “Good Day” morning program – debuted the “Dream Big America” first-ever live radio show that pits new entrepreneur ideas against each other. The inaugural lineup of contestants appeared on Tuesday, July 9, at 9:00 am on “Doug Stephan’s Good Day.” Three entrepreneurs each pitched their business ideas. Then a panel of noted business executive/celebrities cross-examined each contestant. Next, listeners were invited to call special voting numbers to select a weekly winner. Weekly winners will be invited back to face off in the “Finals Show” on the last Tuesday of the month. The final winner will receive cash, support and valuable resources for their business, according to Stephan. The first three entrepreneurs were: Conscious Box, which enables customers to discover healthier, environmentally focused products by sending a monthly sample box of 10-20 products to a subscriber’s front door, presented by CEO Patrick Kelly, Jr.; myEDmatch, a job-matching site for educators that connects schools and teachers with shared missions, beliefs, and goals, presented by CEO Alicia Herald; and Stemulation, the first luxury skin-care product that uses adult mesenchymal stem cells to rejuvenate the skin, presented by president and CEO Laurie Nicoll. Speaking about the debut program, Doug Stephan says, “What a powerhouse group of entrepreneurs for the ‘Dream Big America’ inaugural show. We are coming out of the box with a bang! Each one of these new ventures is very impressive in their own right. I can’t wait to see how America will vote between these three companies.” The “Dream Big America” program is a collaboration between Stephan’s “Good Day,” the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and its 1 Million Cups start-up education program, and the San Diego-based Nutritional Capital Network.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck to Join Fox News Channel’s ‘Fox & Friends’ Morning Show. Longtime cast member of ABC TV’s “The View,” conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck, will become part of Fox News Channel’s morning show, replacing current co-host Gretchen Carlson who is going to be anchoring her own daytime show on the cable news/talker beginning in September. In a statement, FNC chairman and CEO Roger Ailes says, “Elisabeth’s warm and engaging personality made her a star on ‘The View.’ She has proven to be an excellent conversationalist and I am certain she will make a great addition to our already successful morning franchise.”

Odds & Sods.Salem Radio Network announces a month-long, multi-platform initiative in August designed to highlight what it calls “the battle over America’s culture wars” and reporting that SRN’s nationally syndicated talk hosts – as well as the network’s 24/7 Washington, D.C.-based SRN News service – will all focus interviews and special features on “the current challenges to traditional American values.”…..WTOP, Washington’s “Best of Washington” kicks off this week with new and returning “Top 10” categories. Hubbard’s broadcast and digital news operation says it wants to know the best things in the Washington area. This week on WTOP.com listeners can nominate their favorites in these ten categories: pizza, local charity, food truck, burger, wings, fries, local brewery, happy hour, farmer’s market, and shopping mall. During the week of July 15 -19 the finalists will be announced and voting will begin. The winners of WTOP’s “Best of Washington” will be unveiled weekdays July 22 through August 2…..ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike — Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic – will describe the action over the Citi Field PA system for those at the stadium during the 2013 Chevrolet Home Run Derby, Monday, July 15, at 8:00 pm at the MLB All Star Game festivities. Greeny and Golic will be positioned on the field to provide commentary and player interviews during this year’s event.

Illegal Immigration Legislation/Amnesty Program, ObamaCare Implementation, George Zimmerman Trial, Egypt Turmoil, Aaron Hernandez Case, NSA Surveillance Program, Texas Abortion Bill, and Mexico Grabs Obesity Crown Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/9). The debate over new immigration legislation and the proposed amnesty policy; implementation of the Affordable Care Act; the trial of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin; new details linking Aaron Hernandez to the shooting death of Odin Lloyd; debate over the National Security Agency’s surveillance program; the Texas House’s passing of new abortion legislation; and Mexico’s rise to the most obese nation were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

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More Groups Board the iHeartRadio Digital Train. In what seems to be an industry-wide strategy to battle Pandora in the digital realm, two more groups – Cox Media Group and Emmis Communications – have joined Clear Channel Media and Entertainment’s iHeartRadio digital audio app. Cox Media Group will present 86 of its stations from 19 markets and Emmis will offer 20 stations from six markets on the platform. The iHeartRadio platform now boasts audio from more than 1,000 terrestrial stations from some 150 markets (plus the ability of users to create custom “stations” via song or artist) is available. Cox Media Group president Doug Franklin says, “Cox Media Group is impressed with the progress that iHeartRadio has made over the last year. Our strategy is to serve our listeners on as many digital platforms as possible. We look forward to extending our reach in partnership with iHeartRadio.” At Emmis, chairman and CEO Jeff Smulyan states, “By joining iHeartRadio, we offer our listeners – including listeners of our premiere hip-hop brands Hot 97 in New York and Power 106 in Los Angeles – a great way to continue to enjoy our stations’ content.”

Jacobs Media Study Shows News/Talk Listeners Love Smartphones and Tablets; Not So Big on Social Media. The results of Jacobs Media’s Techsurvey 8 – data culled from regular radio listeners – indicates regular listeners to news/talk stations like the hardware but are as fond of using social media as primary listeners of other radio formats. The data was presented in a Jacobs Media webinar yesterday. Jacobs has been offering the webinars in format-specific chunks and yesterday’s focused on news/talk listeners. Fred Jacobs fed participants data from his company’s annual study and some of the takeaways included interesting data about their media consumption habits such as: News/talk listeners use cellphones, the internet, TV and AM/FM radio on par with listeners to other formats but their using of social media such as Facebook and Twitter is considerably less. However, when it comes to social media sites, their usage of LinkedIn exceeds that of usage by other format devotees. As for “first occasion” – which media is consumed first after waking up – 43% of news/talk listeners use radio either at home or in the car. They are also more likely than users of other formats to check their e-mail or read a newspaper (either in print or online) as their first media experience of the day. If it’s any inspiration for beefing up the news department, 70% of news/talk listeners cite getting the news/weather/traffic as the number one reason for listening to AM/FM radio compared to 22% for all other formats combined. Of all the formats, news/talk fans are least likely to “like” a station’s Facebook page but 21% say they check the station’s website every day. And when it comes to following a station or personality on Twitter, sports talk is the hands-down winner with 51% of sports talk fans saying they do so. News/talk aficionados do that less than the median with only 24% saying they follow a station or personality on Twitter. Finally, when it comes to audio and video streaming, 33% of news/talk listeners listen to the station’s stream once per week – below the average of 38% — but 61% of them will stream video once per week – that’s above the average. When they do, news/talk listeners get their video from network TV first, then cable TV, and their third favorite choice is your news/talk station.

ABC News Radio Partners with Slacker to Offer Lifestyle Talk Channels. Digital audio service Slacker and ABC News Radio will work together to offer lifestyle talk content targeting men and women – dubbed “Men’s Life” and “Women’s Life.” Slacker states in a release that the stations can be customized by the user to control the content they hear based on its relevance to them. Slacker SVP of marketing Jonathan Sasse says, “Our new lifestyle stations capture the most interesting content for men and women from experts in over a dozen subjects. No other radio service is providing access to content like this, and it is important to us that these stations include the option to customize based on the topics each listener finds most interesting.” Categories of content available to users include: (for men) Health & Fitness, Games & Gadgets, Food & Drink, Style & Fashion, Cars & Gear, Tech, Travel & Adventure, Entertainment, Money, Relationships, Green Living and Home Improvement. And for women: Hair & Beauty, Style & Fashion, Relationships, Health & Fitness, Money, Entertainment, Food & Drink, Home Living, Tech, Parenting, Travel & Adventure and Green Living. ABC News Radio VP and general manager Steve Jones says, “Since men and women often have different interests, our new Men’s Life and Women’s Life channels appeal to different sensibilities and styles. We curate this content to make it unique but ultimately Slacker listeners drive their own experience since they can skip stories within each channel just as they do now with songs.”

Google and SiriusXM Enter into Content Sharing Deal. Searching for ways to give a boost to its lagging Google TV service, the digital giant has struck a deal with SiriusXM to allow users of Google TV to hear all of the satcaster’s programming – including Howard Stern and the live sports programming. According to Reuters, the deal is to be announced at a Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco today. Google TV is a software built in to television sets currently manufactured by Sony, LG Electronics and Vizio. Major broadcasters have blocked online versions of their content from appearing on Google TV and the service has had a rough start, to say the least. Netflix and Amazon.com have joined Google TV as well.

Comedian and Morning Show Host Rickey Smiley Extends Deal with Radio One; Two TV Deals in the Works. Morning radio show host Rickey Smiley inks a contract extension with Radio One that will keep him with the company. Currently his morning show is heard in 55 markets on urban outlets. In addition, Smiley is developing a weekly TV sitcom for TV One currently in production in Atlanta. He will also be part of Fox TV’s “Dish Nation” show that features a number of morning radio hosts from around the country. Radio One CEO and TV One chairman Alfred Liggins states, “Radio One and TV One are huge believers in investing in quality content. Rickey Smiley represents a significant multi-media talent and our enhanced backing and long-term investment in his brand represents a commitment we believe is core to our companies’ future strategy. Rickey Smiley is not only a current star, but he is one of the fastest-growing entertainment brands in any media today.”

Odds ‘n’ Sods.Adam Carolla’s Carolla Digital enters into a partnership with TuneIn to deliver his content via the digital audio service. All episodes of every recent Carolla Digital will be available on the service that has some 30 million monthly active listeners…..SiriusXM sports talk host Dino Costa and former college basketball coach Steve Lappas will co-host the satcaster’s coverage of the NBA draft on Thursday, June 28 beginning at 7:00 pm on Mad Dog Radio…..WBZ-FM, Boston – 98.5 the Sports Hub – weekend sports talk host Nick Cattles heads south to become PM drive host at ESPN 94.1 FM (WVSP) serving the Norfolk, Virginia market. He takes over for Tony Mercurio who exited the station last month…..ESPN Radio presents live, exclusive coverage of the UEFA Euro 2012 Final on Sunday, July 1 at 2:30 pm ET.

Wisconsin Station Flips to Talk Beginning in July. The La Crosse Radio Group will flip standard WLFN, La Crosse, Wisconsin to news/talk beginning July 1. The station’s program lineup will feature local talk host Bob Schmidt in morning drive and an eclectic lineup of nationally syndicated talent including: “The Wall Street Journal This Morning” with Gordon Deal, Dial Global’s Dennis Miller, WIBA, Madison-based Vicki McKenna, WYD Media’s Michael Smerconish, The Wall Street Journal Radio Network’s “The Daily Wrap” with Michael Castner, Fox News Radio’s Alan Colmes, and CBS Radio’s “Overnight America” with Jon Grayson. WLFN program director Neil Klos tells TALKERS, “This radio station was designed local first giving our local listeners a voice. Our design was not to be ‘political,’ but entertaining and informative.”

Arizona Illegal Immigration Ruling, ‘Fast and Furious’ Contempt Vote, Colorado Wildfire, Looming ObamaCare Decision and Charles Rangel Wins Primary Battle Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (6/26). The aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling on the Arizona immigration law; a potential House contempt vote against Attorney General Eric Holder in the ‘Fast and Furious’ case; the Colorado wildfire that’s displaced more than 30,000 people; the expected decision from the Supreme Court on ObamaCare; and New York Congressman Charles Rangel’s primary election victory were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.